The present invention relates to a retractor device having a retractable tether and a spring biased reel providing a retracting force throughout the full extension of the tether to take up any slack in the tether and to return the tether to its normal wound storage position on the reel, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a constant pull retractor having a swivel attachment component which enables the housing of the retractor to pivot relative to the surface to which the retractor is connected.
There exist many uses for tethers in which an otherwise loose object is connected to another object with an unbreakable chain or flexible wire. For instance, pens may be tethered to a table top; security badges, keys, identification cards, lift tickets and the like may be tethered to a person or other object; and goods may be tethered to a display fixture for security purposes.
An example of a constant pull cable retractor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,685 which issued to Rankin and which is assigned to the assignee of the present application. As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 of the ""685 patent, a cable is retracted onto a reel by a constant force spring fixed at an inner end to the periphery of a spring hub and at an outer end to the periphery of a cylindrical flange which coaxially extends from the side of the reel and rotates therewith. The spring winds in opposite directions onto the coaxial reel flange and the spring hub. That is, as the spring unwinds from the spring hub, it winds onto the coaxial reel flange, and vice versa. A permanent inward camber along the length of the spring relative to the spring hub produces a torque on the reel in a direction which retracts the cable with substantially constant pull throughout its full extension. Other examples of constant pull retractors are those manufactured and sold under the Pullbox(copyright) trademark by Vulcan Spring and Mfg. Co. of Telford, Pa.
The housings of the above referenced retractors are rigidly secured with adhesives, screws or other fasteners to a mounting surface. The retractable tether extends through an exit port formed in the stationary retractor housing. Thus, the exit port is stationary relative to the mounting surface.
One problem with manufacturing small-sized, or miniature, constant pull retractors is that the relatively small gauge retractor cable, or other retractor components adjacent the cable exit port, can rapidly become worn or fail due to the contact between the tensioned cable and the adjacent retractor components. This is particularly a problem when the cable, or tether, is pulled in a direction other than forward relative to the exit port.
While the above referenced retractors function properly for their intended purposes, there is a need for a retractor which can be provided in a relatively small, or miniature, size and which has a long service life. Preferably, the retractor should have a retractable cable extendable from a housing which is freely rotatable relative to a mounting surface so that the retractor cable exit port always points substantially toward the direction of pull of the retractable cable. In addition, the retractor should be capable of ready attachment to a mounting surface and should be inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.
With the foregoing in mind, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized, or miniature, constant pull retractor which has a long service life.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a constant pull retractor with an attachment component which can be readily secured to a mounting surface and which permits the retractor to pivot, or swivel, relative to the mounting surface.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a constant pull retractor which can be inexpensively manufactured and readily assembled.
More specifically, the present invention provides a retractor having a housing with a rotatable reel captured therein. A cable is wound on the reel and has a terminal end extending exteriorly of the housing such that the cable is extendable from the housing and is retractable onto the reel by the force of spring located in the housing. The terminal end of the cable has an end fitting and is prevented from retracting into the housing. An attachment component extends from the retractor housing and has an attachment surface located exteriorly of the housing. Thus, when the attachment surface of the attachment component is mounted to a mounting surface, the retractor housing is permitted to freely pivot relative to the mounting surface and the attachment component.